The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has summoned Ushie Rita Uguamaye, a corps member serving in Lagos State, after she posted a viral video on TikTok criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In the emotional video, Rita tearfully expressed frustration over Nigeria’s rising cost of living, describing Tinubu as a “terrible” president and lamenting the economic hardships faced by citizens. She highlighted the challenges of surviving on her NYSC allowance, stating that the monthly stipend is insufficient to cover basic expenses.
“If a lot of Nigerians come out and start speaking about what we are going through, maybe changes will be made in the government,” she said in the video.
Following the post, Rita received multiple calls from NYSC officials urging her to delete the video and stop criticising the government. In a subsequent TikTok clip, she shared details of a conversation with an NYSC official, who allegedly questioned her sanity and demanded she take down the video.
“She called me and was yelling at me to take down the video,” Rita said. “These people know my address and where I live, and now they’ve begun threatening me.”
The NYSC Local Government Inspector (LGI) has summoned Rita to report to the Eti Osa 3 local government office by 10 a.m. on Monday.
The development has sparked widespread reactions, with many Nigerians questioning whether corps members should be restricted from expressing their views on governance and national issues.
Earlier, Amnesty International condemned officials of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for allegedly threatening the corps member l
Reacting, Amnesty International defended her right to free speech, urging the government to address economic challenges rather than suppress dissent.
Raye has also been backed by Former Presidential Candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Omoyele Sowore.
